Myagdi. The flood in the Kaligandaki River has washed away the towers of the Dana-Khurkot transmission line under the 220 KV Kaligandaki corridor in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi.

Six hydropower projects with a capacity of 176 MW have been shut down after a flood swept away towers and wires of a transmission line in Myagdi and Mustang districts.

The hydropower projects at Ghalemdi Khola (5 MW), Mristrikhola (42 MW), Nilgiri-1 (38 MW), Nilgiri-2 (71 MW capacity) and Relekhola (6 MW) have stopped supplying electricity to the central grid from the Dana-Khurkot transmission line.

The electricity generated by the 14 MW Thapakhola Hydropower Project at Tukuche of Mustang is yet to be connected to the central grid.

The power house of the 14-MW Gharkhola Hydropower Project based in Pokhrebagar of Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 has been shut down since mid-August.

According to Om Phagami, ward chairperson of Annapurna Rural Municipality-2, the flood in Kaligandaki River swept away two towers of Annapurna Rural Municipality-1, Dowa and one at Dhirchyang.

Along with the transmission line, the flood has also made it difficult to travel on foot by eroding many places on the Beni-Jomsom road of the Kaligandaki corridor. Journalist Ganesh Gurung (Suren), who reached Sikh via Pokhrebagar on Monday after trekking from Beni, said that the road has been submerged in many places along the Beni-Pokhrebagar section, erosion, landslides have piled up and electric wires and poles have been damaged.

The floods and landslides have also affected the 180 MW Kaligandaki Gorge and 66 MW Middle Kaligandaki Hydropower Project in Annapurna rural municipality.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)’s Pokhara Grid Chief Roshan Khadka said the towers from Dana to Pokhrebagar of Annapurna rural municipality-3 were damaged by the natural disaster and a technical team has been sent for an on-site inspection.

He further said that coordination has been made with NEA to adopt alternative measures to supply electricity to northern region of Myagdi and Mustang and to forward the reconstruction of transmission lines simultaneously.

The structure of the old 33 KV transmission line has been damaged by floods and landslides. He said that although efforts were made to supply electricity to Mustang from Dana substation, the problem of road transport and communication could not be identified due to the problem of road transport and communication.

Floods and landslides have disrupted road connectivity in Mustang. Normal life has been affected due to the shutdown of mobile and internet services due to the lack of electricity. Electricity, road and transport services have also been disrupted in rural areas of Myagdi and Baglung, including Mustang, according to the local administration.